Town of China considers changing law enforcement coverage, sparking debate
Potential for change — from having town police officers to coverage by the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office — fuels disagreement on social media.
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CHINA — The town of China is looking at changing its municipal law enforcement coverage from town-employed, part-time police officers to deputies from the Kennebec County Sheriff’s Office.
Responses to the proposal, posted to the Friends of China Facebook group, sponsored by The Town Line newspaper, have sparked debate. Some who shared opinions said the town is “defunding the police.” Others defended the town’s proposal.
“What the town is looking to do is to find another option to provide the police services that the town has budgeted for,” China Town Manager Becky Hapgood said Thursday in an interview. “In prior budgets, we have budgeted 26 hours a week for municipal police services, and because the China police officers have regular full-time jobs, they are unable to work 26 hours between the three of them.”